Stamp duty is one of the biggest costs you'll pay when buying property in Australia. Stamp duty is a form of tax charged by the state government, and it applies when you buy a property, but not when you sell. Our stamp duty calculator can help you work out how much stamp duty you'll pay when buying a home or investment property.
Luckily, first home buyers in most states and territories can qualify for one-off discounts or concessions, depending on the type of property you buy and the purchase price.
Stamp duty calculator
To use this calculator select your state or territory, enter the value of your property (the full value, not your loan amount), choose the type of purchase (home to live in, investment or land) and select yes or no if you're a first home buyer or not.
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Stamp duty exemptions and concessions by state/territory
Your stamp duty cost varies depending on where you live. Governments update these costs every few years, depending on state budgets and tax policy.
Click your state or territory below to find out about stamp duty exemptions.
Your stamp duty is determined by several factors beyond where you live. These are:
- The cost of the property. The more you pay for your property the higher your stamp duty cost will be.
- Whether you're a first home buyer. If you've never owned a property before then you may quality for a concession (discount) on your stamp duty or even a full exemption. Pensioners and seniors may also qualify for a discount or exemption.
- The type of home you buy. The amount of stamp duty that you will be charged may depend on the type of property you purchase, with concessions or exemptions for buying new or off-the-plan properties.
What is stamp duty?
Stamp duty in Australia is a state/territory level tax levied on large transactions such as property purchases, cars or other assets. Historically, stamp duty was levied on the signing of various legal documents, hence the word stamp. Stamp duty is sometimes referred to as transfer duty.
How do I pay my stamp duty?
Many buyers pay stamp duty at settlement. Depending on your state or territory, it may be due on settlement day, and in other states you have around 30 days from settlement to organise the payment.
Your lawyer or conveyancer can help you with the logistics of paying stamp duty and will advise you of deadlines. Your conveyancer can also help you organise your paperwork when applying for a concession or exemption.
Can I borrow stamp duty with my loan?
Depending on your borrowing power and the size of your deposit, you may be able to have the amount of stamp duty added to your loan. This is known as having your stamp duty capitalised into the principal of the loan.
This means you are borrowing the money to pay stamp duty, so you'll pay interest on that amount for 30 years.
Keep in mind that this may increase your loan to value (LVR) ratio, which could require you to pay a higher Lenders Mortgage Insurance premium, if your loan is above 80% of the property's overall value.
Stamp duty in unique cases
Do I have to pay stamp duty on vacant land?
All transfers of land come with these costs, which you see by using the stamp duty calculator above. The exception to this is through the various concessions and exemptions available from each state, particularly for first home buyers.
Do I have to pay stamp duty on off-the-plan property?
Yes, stamp duty is still payable on off-the-plan property, but keep in mind there are concessions and exemptions available in different states.
Do I have to pay stamp duty on a loan I am refinancing?
In most cases you will have to pay stamp duty again even if you are refinancing. However, there are situations in which you can avoid paying stamp duty. For example, if the names of the borrowers are the same and the amount of the loan is the same, there might be a chance you could avoid paying stamp duty. In some cases, you might also have to refinance with the same lender to avoid this cost.
If you're borrowing more when refinancing (say, a home loan top up) you may have to pay stamp duty on any amount above the original loan.
Note that in some situations you may have to pay the fees but you can then apply for a refund from the lender. Thus, it pays to make sure you do your research before deciding to refinance because any savings you incur from a lower rate might be completely obliterated if you have to pay stamp duty again. In this case, refinancing may simply not be worth the hassle.
Divorce and stamp duty
Stamp duty isn’t payable if one of you is transferring the title to a home or land to another. However, you can only save on stamp duty if the transfer is done so you can obey a court order. The court must be able to know what assets are owned by each of the parties. This includes all of your assets like land, bank accounts and superannuation. It may be necessary to hire an expert to value an asset.
It’s important to know that parenting is seen as a very important contribution. If the marriage has been a long one, it is often seen as equal to financial contributions. Usually, the court gives the party whose financial future is not as good as the other some extra part of the property owned by the parties.
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Ask a question
If I am looking at purchasing a property which I intend to be my primary residence within 12 months, but it currently has tenants in the property and will have them during and post settlement do I still pay the Transfer Duty as tho it were an investment property? This property will not be an investment property – I will be moving into it….but I was told that it may still be considered an investment?
Hi Little T,
Transfer duty is generally payable for both main residences and investment properties. There are some concessions in place but that generally applies to FHBs and pensioners.
Please speak to your local OSR about your specific situation, they will be able to give you an informed answer.
Cheers,
Shirley
Hi,
I’m from NSW. My brother and I bought a house together in 2011. This property is under my name and my brother name. It’s not an investment property. It our primary residency.
Now I decide to remove my name off the title of the property. My brother will take over the property. The question is will my brother have to pay stamp duty?
Thank you.
Hi Rob,
Thanks for your question.
Generally the person obtaining the property is liable for stamp duty.
However, it’s best that you confirm this with your OSR or conveyancer as there could be some exemptions.
Cheers,
Shirley
Hi,
Are there any stamp duties on house that was bequeathed to a son before death and/or after death of the person be bequeathing the property?
Thank you,
Paul
Hi Paul,
thanks for the question.
In most cases stamp duty is not payable in this situation, although it depends on the will and how the transfer document was drawn up, so I’d recommend contacting your relevant state office of revenue.
I hope this helps,
Marc.
Hi Marc & Shirley,
I live in Melbourne, Victoria. I have purchased a land in west and the settlement is in October; First home buyer. My question is regarding Stamp Duty. Does the Stamp Duty calculated on basis of Vacant Land Price or does it depend on Land + Building price? I know its bit of novice question but I couldn’t get a proper answer anywhere. Thanks for your help.
Hi Mihir,
thanks for the question.
Stamp duty is calculated using the land and buildings, and is based on the market value of the property or the property price – whichever is greater.
I hope this helps,
Marc.
Hi.
We have purchased a property that we can take possession on around the 15/9/14
We have a settlement date of the 31/6/15 , i know we have to pay stamp duty and are faced with two options
Pay out our savings when due or pay late and have fees and interest charged
If we pay late do we notify the OSR or wait till they contact us
Hi Ken,
Thanks for your question.
There could be some fines involved with paying your stamp duty late.
It could be best to notify the OSR first to see if they can give you an any exemptions.
Cheers,
Shirley